 Feudalism: a political system with small, local, and independent leaders (local lords) › The System:  Powerful nobles (Lord) grant land (fief) to lesser nobles (vassal)  Vassal promised loyalty, military assistance, and other services to the lord of the fief  Vassals could further divide the land and grant it to others such as knights, who would fight for them in war  A vassal could also be a lord

 Fiefs became hereditary › Primogeniture: system of inheritance from father to eldest son  Women: generally did not control land, but often had a fief as part of her dowry  Kings: every land holder was a vassal to the king, but only controlled those who lived on his feudal lands  The church: was part of the feudal system with their own fiefs and vassals

 Common during the Middle Ages › Most were small, private fights between feudal lords with a handful of knights › A few large conflicts involving entire regions broke out  Knights wore armor  Chain mail until gun powder was developed  Later, overlapping metal plates were worn  Horses were large

 Trial by Battle : a duel between accusers  Compurgation (Oath Taking) : accuser supported by others who swore or took an oath of truth that the accuser was guilty/innocent  Trial by Ordeal : outcome of an ordeal determined the accused guilt/innocence

 An economic system followed by people living on manors (large farming estates) › Farms were self-sufficient › A lord and several peasant families shared the land of the manor  The lord generally kept 1/3 of the land for his home (domain) and peasant families gave the lord some of their crops as well as help farm the lord’s land.

 Manor Villages › Usually located near a river or stream to power the village mill  Peasant Life (serfs) › Life was difficult  Serfs could not leave the land without permission from the lord › Life expectancy was short (disease, starvation, warfare) › Most peasants lived, worked, and died where they were born.

 Nobles’ Lifestyles › Today’s standard of living is better than kings and queens of the middle ages (It wasn’t as glamorous as what is in the movies) › A lord spent most of his days looking after his land and dispensing justice among vassals and serfs › A lord or vassal depended on his wife and children for help. › Marriage was viewed as a way to advance one’s fortune (dowry)

 Early Middle Ages: built of earth and wood (Later: made of stone)  Usually built on hills or other places difficult to attack › A ditch or “moat” was dug around a castle if only flat land was available (often filled with water)  A draw bridge could be lowered across the moat and raised for protection

 “Keep”: main part of castle › Strong tower containing storerooms, workshops, and perhaps barracks and the lord’s living quarters  Great Hall : place where the lord accepted visitors  Castles had thick walls with small windows and no glass

 A code of conduct that dictated a knight’s behavior toward others. › To become a knight, a boy had to be born of nobility › Boys first became a “page” or attendant for a knight to learn to care for weapons › In teenage years a page became a squire or full assistant to the knight › After proving himself in battle a squire would become a knight in an elaborate ceremony

 A symbol on the knight’s shield to distinguish himself from others

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